Hi! I’m Cassandre, and today on Caramel Loafing, I’m sharing a beloved classic that’s wildly popular in Long Island, New York, and New Jersey: the Philly Fluff Cake.
The Philly Fluff Cake originated at a bakery in Long Island, New York, and has since become an iconic treat across New Jersey. It’s so well-loved that people from other states often drive in just to buy one or ask friends to bring one back for them. Its charm lies in its texture — somewhere between a pound cake and an angel food cake — rich with buttery flavor yet soft and tender. After making it ourselves, we can confirm — it truly lives up to the hype.
Even though the Philly Fluff Cake looks like a simple cake, what makes it special is its unique method.
Traditionally, cakes start by creaming butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then adding eggs to emulsify. But the Philly Fluff Cake does the opposite: you mix the fats with the flour first, then add the eggs at the end. This technique is known as the reverse creaming method, and it helps limit gluten development, so you don’t have to worry about overmixing or breaking the emulsion. It’s a simple yet impressive homemade cake.
Another defining feature: the batter uses three types of fats — cream cheese, butter, and shortening. The cream cheese adds dairy richness, the butter deepens the flavor, and the shortening keeps the cake soft and springy. The balance of these fats creates its signature moist, tender crumb. It’s one worth baking at least once.
By the way — it actually has nothing to do with Philadelphia.
If you love American-style desserts, here are a few more to try:
A Boston legend: Blueberry Muffins
A light, spring-colored cake with no added fat: Daffodil Cake
A fresh American twist on a French classic: American Lemon Pie
A nostalgic Southern favorite: Biscuits
An all-time classic: Brownies
Philly Fluff Cake Recipe and Method
Ingredients
Pan size: 6-inch tube pan (16 cm top diameter, 14 cm bottom diameter, 8.5 cm height)
Yield: Makes about 6–8 servings
If you’d like to adjust for a different pan size, feel free to use our pan size calculator.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 50–55 minutes
Total time (including cooling): about 2 hours
- 38 g vegetable shortening (1.3 oz), at room temperature
- 90 g cream cheese (3.2 oz), at room temperature
- 46 g unsalted butter (1.6 oz), at room temperature
- 100 g cake flour (3.5 oz)
- 165 g granulated sugar (5.8 oz)
- 2 g baking powder (½ tsp)
- 1 g salt (¼ tsp)
- 138 g whole eggs, lightly beaten (about 2½ large eggs)
- 4 g rum (1 tsp)
- 10 g powdered sugar (0.35 oz), for dusting
Check the nutritional info for this dessert with our Dessert Nutrition Calculator.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Grease the inside of your pan with a tablespoon of softened butter (or shortening), dust with flour, and tap out any excess.
- Sift the sugar, flour, and baking powder together into a bowl; add the salt and stir to combine.
- Beat the softened cream cheese, shortening, and butter at medium speed for about 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients; mix on low until coated with the fats (about 1 minute), then increase to medium speed and beat for about 2 more minutes.
- Add the rum, then add the beaten eggs in three additions, mixing at medium speed after each addition until fully incorporated, about 1½ minutes total.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for 50–55 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove and invert onto a rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Enjoy chilled, or warm at 320°F (160°C) for 5–8 minutes before serving.
Watch the full tutorial video here: Philly Fluff Cake
Philly Fluff Cake FAQs & Tips
The Philly Fluff Cake is an American classic from Long Island, New York, known for its texture that falls somewhere between a pound cake and an angel food cake — moist, fine-textured, yet incredibly soft. Though it appears simple, there are a few key details worth understanding. Here are answers to the most common questions to help you bake this cake with confidence.
Why is it called Philly Fluff Cake? Is it really from Philadelphia?
It actually has nothing to do with Philadelphia.
Although the name includes “Philly,” the cake was first made at a bakery in Long Island, New York. The name comes from its use of Philadelphia-brand cream cheese — so “Philly” refers to the cream cheese, not the city itself.
As for “Fluff,” it hints at the cake’s soft, moist texture — but ironically, it isn’t fluffy like cotton candy. Instead, it’s relatively dense and fine-textured, yet surprisingly tender, giving it a unique character somewhere between a pound cake and an angel food cake.
What’s the reverse creaming method? Why is it used?
Most cakes follow the traditional creaming method: butter and sugar are beaten until light and fluffy, eggs are added gradually to create an emulsion, and the dry ingredients are folded in last. The Philly Fluff Cake reverses that order: the fats are mixed with the dry ingredients first, and the eggs are added at the end. This is known as the reverse creaming method, sometimes called reverse emulsification.
When the fats coat the flour early in the process, they limit gluten development, helping the cake stay tender instead of tough. It also reduces the risk of overmixing or breaking the emulsion, making it more forgiving for home bakers. This technique is key to achieving the cake’s signature texture.
The only drawback is that the batter can feel quite thick when mixing by hand — using a stand mixer makes the process much easier.
Why does it include shortening? Isn’t that unhealthy?
One distinctive feature of the Philly Fluff Cake is its use of three different fats: cream cheese, unsalted butter, and shortening. While cream cheese and butter are common in home baking, shortening is more frequently used in professional bakeries because of the texture it provides.
Shortening increases tenderness and helps prevent the cake from becoming overly dense. In the past, some shortening contained trans fats, which contributed to its negative reputation. Today, however, most commercially produced shortening in the U.S. is trans-fat free due to regulatory changes. If you prefer not to use shortening, you can substitute with vegetable oil or additional butter, though the final texture may be slightly less light and springy.
Any tips for handling three types of fats?
Because each fat softens at a different rate, it’s best to bring them to room temperature separately rather than combining them straight from the refrigerator. Wait until each one is soft enough to press easily with a spatula. Avoid letting them melt completely, as liquefied fats can affect the cake’s final texture.
What if I don’t have a chiffon tube pan?
If you don’t have a chiffon tube pan, a loaf pan will also work — just be sure to grease and flour all sides thoroughly.
If you use a different size or shape of pan, check out our Cake Pan Size Calculator to adjust the recipe amounts proportionally.